


Weird Means Yes

by afangirlsplaylist



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Buddy System, First Kiss, Implied Feelings, Kissing, M/M, Making Out, rhink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-08
Updated: 2017-06-08
Packaged: 2018-11-10 15:05:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11129259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afangirlsplaylist/pseuds/afangirlsplaylist
Summary: It's not good if it isn't weird -  and the outcome of the latest writers meeting was very weird.





	Weird Means Yes

**Author's Note:**

> This was born from a discussion we had based off the Ear Biscuit "What If We Quit Youtube", and is our interpretation of just what they mean when they describe the writing process of Buddy System Season 2 as 'strange' and 'weird'.

The intensity in the Buddy System writer’s room was so palpable that day you could have cut it with a knife. It should have been a simple day of planning - but to say the session had been… eye opening was an understatement. Terrifying words like ‘romance’, ‘on-screen kiss’, and ‘Rhink’ were thrown around the room - as if they weren’t major steps the writers were pitching. Already the plan put them through the emotional wringer so strongly that it was almost a relief to call an end to the day and clear it all away. 

When it had just been he and Link, they had the benefit of working within the cocoon of their partnership. They were selective and picky when it came to who they trusted with their work, and they were wary of handing any control over too readily. They’d worked together for so long that after a while even their bickering felt normal. Rhett could scream and rage at Link without fear of losing him, and Link had no problems doing the same. It was a healthy and functional safety net.

On the other hand, the writers that they’d brought on this season were deliberately the opposite of a safety net. Ideas had been raised and decisions made in the writing room to push them. What hadn’t been discussed was how either of them actually _ felt _ about what had been decided. The idea of them kissing and everything around it had been whispered and toyed with for years, but when they were surrounded by unfamiliar people they weren’t able to discuss it as partners. Not as openly and honestly as they wanted to at least.

Trying not to seem keen to see the backs of them, Rhett followed Link to the front door and helped escort the last of the writers out. They’d been professional and open-minded during the meeting but still they never actively talked about  _ it. _ The great, big, inevitable  _ it  _ that had been coming for as long as they’d been in the public eye. 

Instead, they just said their goodbyes and locked the door, staring at the thing like they half wanted to open it again and avoid what was coming. Rhett couldn’t bring himself to break the hard silence, but Link of course never had a problem with that.

“Well, that was weird.”

“It was definitely something,” Rhett agreed.

Link avoided Rhett’s eye for as long as he could, but the buttons of his plaid shirt could only hold his interest for so long. “Are we really going to do this?”

It was a huge question. Arguably  _ the  _ question. So Rhett gave it the thought it deserved before he spoke. “We had ten other people in the room saying it was hilarious, and we’ve always said that if it's weird -

“- then we’ve hit the sweet spot. Yeah, I know.” Link finished for him, impatiently. Rhett watched him take off his glasses and pinch the bridge of his nose but didn’t say a word, even when he replaced the frames and met Rhett’s eyes. Whatever internal decision making had occurred in that brain of his, Link was set on it. “If we’re going to do this I’m not doing it for kicks. It’s gotta be right.”

“Neither am I, we’ve never worked that way,” Rhett assured him. 

“It’s just hard to get... comfortable with it.” Link confessed. “I’ve known you forever, brother.”

They had. Longer than they’d known their wives. Rhett nodded before letting out a breath and motioning between them with his hand."Well, we should try to make it comfortable. I mean, we don't normally-”

"Of course we don't ‘normally’!” Link barked. “Where have you been?”

Rhett laughed, stopping when he noticed it was only making Link madder. It wasn’t funny at all, but Link looked so flustered he couldn’t help himself. 

"I'm just saying, this is new territory. They don’t have a rulebook for this kind of thing.”

"They should have,” Link complained. “A whole series on showmances or something.”

"That could be our next book,” Rhett joked. “Rhett and Link’s book of unusual and bizarre situations”

“A field guide to romancing your best friend,” Link rattled off, his tone dripping with sarcasm. It was only after they’d laughed themselves into silence that he really thought about what he said and a heavy, awkward air fell on them again. 

"So should we… I don’t know, practice a little?” Rhett suggested. “See what feels right?”

Link snorted. “Practicing romance? You know how stupid that sounds?”

“Well, I don't see you coming up with any ideas!” Rhett snapped.

“They’re in progress.” 

The gears of Link's mind always churned so quickly, Rhett could almost hear them turning now. He refused to explore the fact that Link had now called what was happening between them a ‘romance’, even if he only meant it as a showmance. But they did have to get it right. 

“Let's just improvise,” Rhett sighed, not wanting an argument. “Same as we did for Dirty 30 and the wheel. Same as we always do.”

“This is a little more than spooning, Rhett. We’d do that off camera.” 

Rhett sighed, realizing that he’d hav e to be the one to take the first step. Link had gone into logical problem-solving mode, and in this situation, that wasn’t gonna cut it. Taking a deep breath, he decided to just go for it.  "I'm just gonna kiss you. It'll be quick but I'm going to kiss you."

Rhett noticed the goozle of Link’s neck jutting out more than ever as Link swallowed hard, staring up at the blonde man intensely. Rhett could understand. It’d be the first time Link would have to look up at him and see something more than a brother. Both of them would have to fully embrace the role and see the other as a lover for this to work. The strangest thing was that it wasn’t all that difficult. Kissing Link wouldn’t be horrible, and Rhett knew he himself was hardly grotesque, as much as Link sometimes teased that he was. Neither of them had any issue admitting that they were good looking enough, albeit not fanciable. But as they faced the idea of actually kissing each other - with no glass, hand or glove as a buffer, he felt… anticipation. 

When Link didn’t respond, Rhett continued,“You okay?”

Rhett only had to look at him to tell he probably couldn’t feel any less okay if he tried - and If Link had anything like the pounding heart and panicking mind he had then he probably wasn’t even in the vicinity of okay. Committed. Safe. Even content maybe, but not okay. 

"I don't know what to say to that.” Link said quietly.

Rhett raised an eyebrow. “Well, there’s normally not a lot of talking during. Unless you and Christy are into something strange,” He teased. 

Link huffed out a laugh, obviously holding back a smile.“Right. I’ve seen you attack that mannequin head. I’m the one that should be worried.”

“You should be honoured you’re getting a taste of these skills.” Rhett said in mock offense.

“What skills?” Link mocked. “From where I was, it looked like you were inhaling her. Painfully.” 

They were getting into their stride now, the running quips serving as a pleasant detour from the endgame of this ‘scene.’ It would never last, but Rhett couldn’t resist feeding it. 

“Says the man that ate Susan’s nose. Oh, and for the record - Jim Morrison hasn’t complained,” Rhett added.

“It can’t talk!” Link burst out, before pausing briefly to process something. “You named your mannequin Jim Morrison?”

Rhett couldn’t resist laughing at him a little. “You don’t remember? You were there!” 

Link groaned. “Look, can we just do this?”

“Okay, fine. Let’s get this over with,” Rhett offered. There was a business-like edge to his tone but it was light enough for Link to know not to take it personally.

They each gave each other plenty of time to move first, but still nothing happened after several long and slow beats.

“Do you want me to...” Rhett nodded towards Link, hoping he’d understand without forcing him to say it out loud.

Link shook his head, “No, I think I should.” 

Giving Link the floor, Rhett let his arms hang at his sides and watched as Link tried to work out their dynamic in his head. Rhett was ridiculously tall, and even if Link was no slump in the height department, there would still be some bending required for this to actually work.

Then there was the fact that for a guy, leaning up to kiss someone was bound to give one pause- even a guy as comfortable in his masculinity as Link may be. Jessie had easily perfected the ‘reach up and yank down’ technique required for kissing a giant, but she had had years of practice.

Practice. 

Link shuffled closer so that their feet were almost touching. ‘Til the knee hits’, so they say. Rhett noticed the line of Link's mouth had become a thin line as he glanced up and down their bodies, contemplating. To anyone else it’d look like he was measuring for a new addition to an industrial belt or checking over a costume. 

Once he felt satisfied, Link placed his hands on Rhetts biceps and started talking - and by talking, Rhett meant a verbal diarrhea of thoughts. 

“So I figured this scene is quick anyway,” Link babbled on, twisting and maneuvering their bodies around a little as he spoke. “If we shot it like this maybe we could -”

Rhett listened to Link rattle on about lighting and camera angles... until he realized something wasn’t sitting right. This was supposed to be a profound, monumental moment in their relationship. They’d been friends forever, and never really thought of each other as anything other than a niche corner of the soulmates market. If he was going to kiss Link, (and he couldn’t say that the thought had  _ never  _ crossed his mind in thirty plus years of friendship), he didn’t want it to be so... clinical. So as hard as Link was trying to grasp for the comfort of controlling the situation, breaking it down into scenes and frames didn’t feel right in Rhett’s mind.

“Link.” 

Link wasn’t even looking at Rhett. He was too concerned with giving an in depth explanation to the second button of Rhett’s cactus shirt. Link was in his zone now - thinking about the shots and the angles of it all, rather than the emotional side of things. It was one of the things that fit Link like a glove and what had made him an excellent engineer - numbers and simplicity. 

“Link!” Rhett said louder.

Without missing a beat, Link settled into the resting face he wore when he was interrupted - annoyed. His eyebrows furrowed, his mouth turned down, and you could almost hear his teeth starting to grind. Rhett almost expected him to say, “Shut up, I’m trying to make a film here.”

It was so undeniably Link that Rhett just smiled. It felt familiar. Safe. It was also exactly the frame of mind Rhett needed to be in for this.

“Can we not shop talk?” He asked.

Link frowned. “It  _ is _ shop talk.”

“Ok, well I don't  _ want  _ it to be shop talk, at least not the first time,” Rhett admitted.

Link’s exasperation faded, and he suddenly looked lost and so very young. His voice tripped over itself as he repeated Rhett’s words.“First time?”

“Just… here,” Rhett moved further into Link’s space and cupped his face, lifting his chin so that their mouths were level. Rather than explaining himself any further, he just bent his head and pressed his lips to Link’s.

It was a quick press of mouths, the plush warmth of Link's cupid's bow lips slotting into his for just a moment before he pulled back. 

“You know it’s not going to be that quick at the shoot,” Rhett warned, his hand still cupping his friend’s face to hold his attention. It was a clear attempt to prepare the guy for the reality of this while he still could. He knew full well that Link understood exactly what he was signing up for, but Rhett’s instinct to protect Link from everything tough in the world took over. 

“Then it shouldn’t be here, should it?” Link challenged, allowing a tinge of directorial authority to come out even as he shook a little against Rhett.

“We’ll make it longer this time and go with it,” Rhett promised, more to himself than to Link. 

“If you tell me you’re going to break out the tongue, I’m out of here,” Link joked. 

Whenever Link was nervous or unsure, he had a habit of becoming pragmatic or hysterical. Rhett was certain that Link would be expecting another comedic volley back from him, but it wasn’t coming. 

“I might,” Rhett said seriously, and Link’s face froze quicker than ice. “It’s got to be real, man. You okay with that?”

He watched as Link opened his mouth and tried hard to say yes. The problem, Rhett realized, was that  _ yes  _ could be a massive, insurmountable word - so tough that it could be difficult to form into speech. _ Yes _ meant this was happening.  _ Yes  _ meant crossing a line they’d refused to cross for decades. Thankfully, something else worked better than the word.

Rhett was brought out of his thoughts when he felt Link tapping Rhett’s hand away from his hold on Link’s chin. Link then brought his lips in firmly and decisively against Rhett’s. He could feel the initial panic overtaking his friend in his arms as they both got used to the sensation - Rhett gripped his neck a little harder to reassure Link, and himself. It was tight enough for Link to feel support but still gave him enough wiggle room to move away. Except he didn’t. Spurred on by his touch, Rhett felt Link grip him back, until Rhett wasn’t sure who was holding who. 

When they pulled back this time they didn’t go far, keeping their lips barely inches apart. 

“Did it get weird?” Rhett breathed, his mouth still so close to Link’s that he could smell peppermint. He felt out of breath, his chest moving faster than when they’d started.

“Weird means yes,” Link said as an answer.

Rhett took that as an invitation and tugged on Link's neck, bringing their mouths together again. Only this time when Rhett tilted his head to slide their lips closer, he ran the tip of his tongue along the seam of Link's mouth. He brushed it gently across Link’s until he felt him sigh and part his mouth for him, giving him access. Rhett could feel a rumble of contentment and a shock of pleasure pulsing through Link - against his mouth, through his hand and clinging to Link's neck. He even felt it through his chest where Link's hands had migrated, wrapping a fist into Rhett’s shirt to bring them infinitely closer.

When the pulling at Rhett’s shirt became more insistent, Rhett realized that Link was battling within himself, like it was a dam threatening to spill over. The wall broke when Link’s hands shot up to hold either side of Rhett’s face and brought him down to his level, meeting Rhett’s mouth and tongue play for play. The hot slide of Link’s tongue against his sent a sizzle of heat down Rhett’s spine, set butterflies loose in his stomach and ended with a hot, dark throb in his jeans.

“Oh gosh, Link,” Rhett uttered. He couldn’t breathe. He certainly couldn’t speak. The experience was suddenly so overwhelming he could barely even think. Yet, Link was still here and this was still happening. 

“Yeah?” Link asked against Rhett’s lips.

All Rhett could do was bring his hand’s to Link shoulders, gently pushing him back to arm’s length. It was all Rhett could do to put some distance between them so he could breathe. “Some practice, huh?.”

Link just hummed his agreement, his eyes on Rhett’s chest as he rearranged the cactus shirt back into place. The move was so strangely flirty that Rhett suddenly felt rather scandalous. It was like Link was helping him cover up some sexy rendezvous from his wife.

Unwilling to be the first one to break the moment, Rhett busied himself by brushing a hand over Link’s light stubble. “This will feel so strange when it’s grown out,” He commented. “It's so prickly.”

Link matched him, his hand brushing over Rhett’s beard. “You can talk. What about what I have to deal with? No one I’ve kissed has been this hairy.”  

It was a surprise for Rhett, to be touched like this. Link had never touched his face that way. Sure he’s shaved him on the show, and then there was whatever the hell had happened in the awkward goodbye ending.

But after what had just transpired between them, this felt different and it made Rhett’s heart thump in his chest. Link’s eyes followed his fingers, brushing through the hair on Rhett’s cheek and the gentle touch felt… intimate. Like whatever line they had crossed had opened up another room to their relationship. One that could never be closed. Rhett suddenly felt scared, desperate to go back. Back to Rhett and Link while they still could. Back to  _ yeah, bo _  and  _ sure, brother.  _

He knew there was little he could do to stop the intensity in Link's face other than lightening the mood

“Women don’t usually have the hair near their mouths.” Rhett joked. 

Link’s eyes darted to Rhett’s and widened, before his head fell into Rhett’s chest in disbelief. It was like hiding his face in his palm wasn’t enough. “You’re freaking gross, man.”

“Hey,  _ you  _ were kissing  _ me _ .”

They laughed as they held each other, the humor flowing easily between them. It was comforting, and it was almost enough to distract Rhett when Link lifted his head to meet his eyes. As much as Rhett was desperately trying keep Link at arm’s length, it seemed that Link was set on staying firmly within Rhett’s space. It was like Link needed Rhett’s proximity to calm him, while Link’s closeness was making Rhett’s heart race. Whatever energy was buzzing between them, combined with the close proximity, was making it difficult for Rhett to compartmentalize. If that was even the right word. You could never compartmentalize something like realizing you knew the taste of your best friend’s mouth.

It was made even more difficult by the way Link's eyes were darting to stare at Rhett’s mouth every few seconds, like he was dying of thirst and Rhett was some kind of oasis. It made Rhett’s head spin and his mind go dizzy to watch it, the room suddenly feeling hot and tight around him. He could only breath when the trance was broken by a door suddenly crashing open behind them. 

They crashed too, untangling themselves from each other as quickly as they could at their size. That left them face to face with Stevie, whose hand had been reaching for a small notebook just in the door when she’d stopped at the sight of them. She was the picture of a perfect, delicate statue of disbelief - and she would’ve looked comical if Rhett’s heart wasn’t thumping so hard.

“Wow, you guys are dedicated,” She said, as casually as if she was giving them a schedule update. “So, I’m guessing you guys are ready to give the go-ahead on the concept?”

They’d always admired the way Stevie could keep her cool and take things in her stride. It was part of the reason they had her in their crazy lives, but Link couldn’t stop himself from blushing profusely, his mouth open in one of those rare moments when he was lost for words.

Luckily, Rhett was there to pick up the slack, falling into the natural rhythm of picking each other up when the other faltered. “Yeah, we were just discussing it.”

Stevie’s face looked far too knowing and amused for their liking, clearly not buying it even for a second. Rhett could feel her stare making his face turn scarlet along with Link’s, his ears burning from the expression on Stevie’s face.

“I’ll have the final concept emailed to you tonight.” She promised, snapping up her forgotten iPad and giving them a final wink before exiting. They kept their mouths closed until they’d seen her go but opened them once she was well out of earshot. 

“What do you think she thinks about this?” Link asked, his eyes still fixed on the door she’d just left through. 

Rhett chuckled. “Yeah... she didn’t buy that.”

“Not even a little?” Link asked, a glimmer of hope in his voice even though already knew the answer.

“I’ve been telling you we need to hire dumber employees, man.” Rhett shrugged.

Link grinned in amusement, grabbing the backpack he had sitting on one of the chairs. “We can hire dumber people when Eddie figures out how to use the 3D printer.” 

“That printer’s a beast, it’s hard!” Rhett came to Eddie’s defense.

Link made a face that said  _ good point _ as he slung the bag on his back. “Well, at least they aren’t smarter than us.”

Rhett grinned cheekily as he started gathering his stuff too. “One of us,” He added.

“Yeah, me.” Link volleyed back. 

They enjoyed the brief moment of humour before Stevie floated back to the front of their mind’s again, leaving them struggling to find some form of normality.

“She probably thinks we’re really weird.” Link admitted.

It wasn’t until Rhett opened his mouth to say something that Link closed his eyes, already knowing what was coming.

“Well. Weird means yes.”


End file.
